Press Digest for Sunday November 30, 2014

The following are summaries of today's major stories published in the Arabic press. LBCI does not edit press digest articles for content, giving English-language readers insight into the various views expressed in newspapers across the Arab world.

• Reasons behind the cabinet's move to hold direct negotiations with Lebanese troops kidnappers      

A ministerial source explained on Sunday to An-Nahar newspaper the reasons that prompted the Lebanese cabinet to hold direct negotiations with the kidnappers of LAF soldiers:       

- The imminent threat to the lives of captive soldiers has increased during the last few days.       

- The slow pace of negotiations by the Qatari mediator whose work plan is yet to be clarified.       

- The release of a captive Hezbollah fighter by the Shi'ite group, which embarrassed the government before the public opinion.     

- The absence of opposition to negotiations and swapping operations as long as Hezbollah has done it.          

- The political outbidding amongst the ministers and their conflicting stances regarding the file.                  

• Qatari mediator to visit Beirut during the next two days -sources      

Ministerial sources said on Sunday that direct negotiations with the kidnappers of the Lebanese troops will not be held by the state but through local channels with geographical links to the abductors' whereabouts.        

"Mediation efforts held by the Qatari delegate Ahmad al-Khatib will not end but will go in line with the negotiations aiming to release the captive soldiers," the sources told Al-Mustaqbal daily.         

The same sources added that al-Khatib is set to visit Beirut during the next two days in order to boost its direct communication with the kidnappers.          

• Hujeiri says he managed to halt execution of captive LAF soldier      

Sheikh Mustafa al-Hujeiri told Asharq al-Awsat daily on Sunday that he managed on Friday night to convince the kidnappers of Lebanese troops to halt the execution of captive soldier Ali al-Bazzal.        

"The remaining soldiers would have been killed following the execution of Ali al-Bazzal," Hujeiri said, noting that he exerted tireless efforts to avoid a dramatic ending to this situation.         

"It was probably the last chance given by the Nusra Front to the Lebanese cabinet in a bid to proceed with serious negotiations," he said, adding "the Arsal captives dossier is in the hands of both the government and the kidnappers".